Portrait of a Learner

The Portrait of a Learner is a collection of insights from HCS administration, staff, parents and community leaders that produced five competencies for student learning.  In the fall of 2023, HCS asked parents and staff to assemble and help guide the work in partnership with the University of Kentucky Center for Next Generation Leadership.  

Those five competencies are:

• Responsible Citizen
• Personal Champion
• Engaged Learner
• Effective Communicator
• Active Collaborator

"Our hope is for all involved to incorporate these strengths into the work of our students’ growth,” HCS Superintendent Teresa Morgan said. 

After several meetings and refinement by HCS staff, several teachers are POL pilot teachers at their school.  These teachers will use the HCS POL language and systems for feedback and possible refinement at the end of the current school year.  Then, school and district-wide integration will start in the 2025-26 school year. 

“We will train all HCS staff to use our Portrait of a Learner in the most effective ways after the pilot teachers bring back their feedback,” Morgan added.  “The competencies and the characteristics that comprise them will help us continue to grow students’ academic knowledge and prepare them for what they will see in the real world upon graduation.

“Our Work Ethic Certification program and its Great Eight Standards have served our students very well and are foundational for this Portrait of a Learner.  Just like that program, we envision students from preschool through 12th grade to be strongly familiar with how those five competencies will help them along life’s journey.  We will also recognize those who exhibit the characteristics of the five competencies with #HCSDifferenceMaker Awards each month.”

Here is more information about each competency:

Responsible Citizen:

• Exhibits punctuality, preparedness and organization
• Demonstrates positive character with responsibility and accountability
• Makes a positive impact on communities through contribution as a leader and/or team member.

Personal Champion:

• Seeks and responds positively to feedback
• Creates goals, identifies necessary actions and utilizes resources to reach them
• Demonstrates skills to manage emotions to make responsible decisions and successful choices
• Perseveres through challenges to complete a task and recovers quickly from setbacks
• Understand and communicates own strengths and needs.

Engaged Learner:

• Applies academic content and skills to deepen understanding
• Thinks critically to solve problems.
• Demonstrates practical life skills for current and future successes.
• Asks questions to clarify and seek new learning.

Effective Communicator:

• Articulates ideas effectively
• Actively listens to understand and respond
• Communicates respectfully and evaluates responsibly with print and digital media
• Uses communication for a range of purposes and audiences.

Active Collaborator:

• Demonstrates empathy and respect for diversity, culture and opinions of others through responsible actions.
• Interacts collaboratively with positive body language and tone
• Actively participates in resolving conflicts
• Contributes ideas and encourages shred participation of group members to achieve a common goal.